Thursday, March 10, 2011

Ask Me Anything!!!!

A loooong time ago I had a Formspring account where people can ask questions and I get to answer them. I don't use that account anymore but I thought it would be fun, especially since I have some new readers, HI NEW READERS!!! :) to have an "Ask Me Anything" post!

It can be anything. About my life, my hobbies, my photography, my likes or dislikes, or current favorites. I'm leaving it up to you, but please keep it clean, and as always, be nice.

Some good questions being asked...I love this idea and may have to borrow it for a future post on my blog...hmmm lets see...what holds a bigger space in your heart, painting or photography?? Also I love this photo of you and would love to know your process in taking it verses how you processed it. Can I ask two questions? lol, guess so because I did!

You have a super awesome blog! So glad I found it. I'm a military wife, myself, and normally an art teacher but I'm finding myself with no teaching opportunities at our current station, so I'm hoping to put some of my work "out there." So... my question is how did you get your name/shop/blog out there? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. :-)

Hello! I think this post's questions have already been answered, but I do have a question if you don't mind :)

Do you have any advice for soon-to-be Air Force wives? I'm interested in hearing how you adjusted to a military lifestyle, how you've dealt with being stationed far from home, and anything else you think might help make the transition from civilian to Air Force easier. I really appreciate your time! --Mary :)

Hi Mary! What a great question! Here are my tips for new military wives/families:

I was only 19 when we got married and 20 when we got stationed at RAF Mildenhall in England to start our newlywed life together. We were a 11+ hour cross Atlantic flight from our family and a 5 hour time difference. We were flat broke and in complete culture shock! We had a few scrappy pieces of furniture we had gathered just before we left the states and no idea how to run a household on our own. I think being young and in love helped us. We took things in stride. Granted we had been dating for 4 years already, so we already knew each other very well.

We looked at everything like an adventure, and truly it was. Sometimes this is hard, but as military families, everyone is away from their families back home. People bond together and friendships I've created with other military people have been the strongest ever. People are more than willing to help out, especially new families. There are BBQ's and big Thanksgivings at friends houses instead of family. The military becomes your family. Those friends become like family to you. When you're struggling through a deployment, there is always someone there who knows how you feel and lends some support.

I'm not going to lie and say that being an Air Force family is always easy. There are a lot of things that are difficult but it's the life we choose and I'm proud to be military wife.

I think the one thing that makes being a military family the easiest is if you have a strong relationship with your spouse. This is the only person that will be with you as you move from base to base. My husband is truly my best friend and we love every second we get to spend together. I think this is very important to me keeping my sanity when things get rough.

When you move to a new place, be sure to explore. Do things unique to your new area. It'll help you feel more at home. Don't be afraid to make your house your home. It may be temporary (1 year or several) but you want to make it homey and a place to retreat and relax. Learn to decorate with colorful accents (if you're like me and don't like painting and repainting walls when you leave and have to live with white walls). We always treat ourselves to something new when we move houses. This house, we got a new comforter and pillows for our bedroom. Last house we actually got a kitchen table after living 3 years without one!

Family is important to us, so we always made it a priority to save money for trips home or have family come to us at least once a year. I think the longest we've been without seeing family has been 11 months. And we try to keep in touch with lots of pictures and phone calls, this is especially important if you have kids.

I wouldn't trade my life for anything. Every life has it's own challenges. I'm just lucky to have my awesome husband by my side through this crazy ride!

Lifestyle blog of Catherine, Air Force wife and mommy of two. Follow along on our world travels, crafting adventures and more. I share our favorite recipes, fun finds and life tips! Read more in my "about me" above.